Improvement in button-hole sewing-machines



6 Sheets-Sheet 1.

D.W;G.`H"UMPHRBY. BUTTON HOLE SEWING MAGHINE.

No. 50,253. Patented Oct. 3, 186.5.

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6 lsheets-sheen 2.

D. W. G. HUMPHREY. BUTToN HOLE lSEWING MACHINE.-

vNo. 50,253. Patented Oct. 3, 1865.

6 Sheets-Sheet 3 BUTTON HOLE SEWING MACHINE.

. HUMPHREY.

Patented Oct. 3,1865,

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6 sheets-sheen 4.

D. W. G. HUMPHREY. BUTTON HOLE SEWING MACHINE.

Patented Oct. 3, 1865.

Witnesses.' jwfw 6 Sheets-Sheet 5,

D. W. G. HUMPHRBY. BUTTON HOLE SEWING MACHINE.

No. 50,253. Patented Octy, 1865.

@kf/M? 6 Sheets--Sheetl 6.

D. W. G. IfU/IPHMY.l BUTTON HOLE SEWING MACHINE.

' No. 50,253Y Patented Oct. 3, 1865.`

UNITED STATES `'PATENT OFFICE.

f D. w. G. HUMPHEEY, 0E CHELSEA., MASSACHUSETTS.

IMPROVEMENT IN BUTTON-HOLE SEWI'NvG-MACHlNES.

Spcciiioation forming part of Letters Patent No. 50,253, dated October 3, 1865.

To all whom 'it mayconcem:

Beit known that I, D. W. G." HUMPHREY, of Chelsea,in the State of Massachusetts,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Machinery for Sewing or Working Button- Holes; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making part of this specitlcation, in which- Figure l isa longitudinal vertical section taken in the plane of the needle; Fig. 2, a horizontal section taken at the line A a of Fig. l; Fig. 2, another horizontal section taken at the line B b of Fig. 1, just belowv the table; and Fig. 3, a bottom view ot' the machine, to represent the mechanism below the table. Other views will be hereinafter explained.

rI he same letters indicate like parts in all the figures.

In the accompanying drawings, A represents thefoundation-frame, consisting of'a bedplate and two endA standards, in which is mounted the,table B (such as is usually employed in sewing-machines) by means ot'ajournal, a, at each end. flhe mechanism is all attached to the said table B, and much of it to the under side of it, so that by' reason of its beingmounted by journals on 'the standards of the bottom frame it can be readily turned up to give ready access to that portion of the mechanism which is attached to its under side. One of the end standards of the lower frame is provided with a spring-bolt, b, to hold the table ina lhorizontal position.

On the top of the table B is secured a hol-- low standard, c, from which projects a' horizontal arm, d,and in the standard cis mounted the driving-shaft c, to which the motive power is to be applied in any appropriate manner. By bevel-gear wheels j'f motion is communicated from the driving-shaft c to a vertical shaft, h, which carries a cam, i, for a purpose to be presently described; and this vertical shaft, by other bevel-gears, jj, communicates motion to a. horizontal shaft, k, mounted in the arm d, and termed the needle-shaft, as its oiiice is to give the usual up-and-down motion to the needle t by means of a crank-pin, m, projectingfrom the face of a wheel, n, on its front end, the Said'crank-pin traveling in its revolution ina cam-groove, o, in the face of a plate on the needle-bar p. The form of this canlgroove is represented in Fig. 4. The length of the crank-'pin and the depth of the groove should'be such as to admit of a lateral motion which is .to be given to the needle-bar 1o and its needle. Theneedle-bar p, instead ot' being adapted to Work in slides in the forward end of the arm Las is usual insomc sewingmachines, is tted to slide vertically in the front end ot' what may be termed the needlebar carrier q, which is fitted to slide longitudinally in the arm d, its rear end extending to the inside of the standard c, where it is provided With a rollerjorpin, r, iitted to work in a cam-groove, s, in the upper face of the cam i, before mentioned, on the vertical shat'th. The form of this cam-groove s is represented in section, Fig. 5.

rEhe object of giving the lateral motion` tov the needle by the mechanism describedis that dnring'one motion down and up to iforxn one stitch it shall pass through the slit ot' the button-hole or by the edge thereof, and at the next operation through the cloth by the side of the button-hole or edge, and so alternately throughout the operation, and therefore the needle should be moved up and down twice to one'back-and-forward motion ofthe needle-bar carrier, which can be effected by so proportioning the bevel-gear wheelsjj that the neelle-shaft k shall make two revolutions to one of the vertical shaft h with. a cam-groove of the form represented at Fig. 5.

The needle-thread from 'aspool, u, passes through a guide, o, at the side of the standard c, then through a loop-in a spring, w, (shown in Fig, which is a side elevation of the standard. 0,) the tension ot' which springtakes up the usual slack of the thread, and from this loop the thread passes througha gripin g mechanism, @by which, at certain parts of the operation, it is griped and held fast. This griping mechanism is represented in Fig. A5 by a horizontal section taken at the line C c of Fig. 6.

The griperw has a stein of smaller diameter, which is fitted to slide in a hole in a piece, y, attached to the standard o, and the inner end of this griper is pressed against the periphery of the cam i by a spring, z, attached to the inside of the standard c., rj he stem is notched at one side, so that when the griper is pushed out thethread can be readily introduced, and when between the inner Surface of the griper 4tension of the spring a,

a: and the outer surface of the piece y, by the the thread is griped between the two, and will not be drawn through by the operations of the machine; but when the griper x is forced out by the cam t, then the thread will be free to be drawn by the needle. The form of the cam t' is fully representedin'Fig. 5. The sections of its periphery from lato 2 and from 3 to 4 are of such form that they do not act on the stem of the griper and the sections from 2 to 3 and from 4 to z l are of such form that they act on the stem -to force the griper out to liberate the thread.

When the needle l is working in the slit of the button-hole the needle-thread is griped after the eye ot' the needle has 'passed below the cloth, andvit is liberated as soon as the loop of the thread is taken by the mechanism below, which takes place, as will be seen hereinafter, during the upward motion of the needle 5 and when the needle passes through the cloth by the side of the button-hole the thread is griped as the eye of the needle reaches the Asurface of the cloth, and it is released 'at the' -same part of the upward stroke of the needle as in the previous operation. this slight difference in duratioriof the periods ot' action of the griper on the thread will become apparent when the whole operation of forming the stitch shall have been described.

In addition tothe griper above described,

for controlling the thread, there is an adjustable rest, a,'(see Fig. 4,) attached to the arm d'by the side of the needle-bar, over-the up-v per edge of which the thread passes before passing through a guide, b', attached to and moving with the needle-bar. The upper edge .of the vrest a', is rounded, so as not to cutthe lhread as it passes over it, and it is made of two parts connected by a screw passing through an elongated slot, so that the upper edge over which the thread passes can be elevated or depressed for adjustment, its average position being about the middle of the range of motion of the thread-guide b', which moveswit-h the needle-bar, so that as the guide b', in its descent, passes by the rest a the thread will be held back'by it, and the eye of the needle, in moving down below the cloth, must draw the thread from the loop formed during the previous downward motion of the needle, and thus draw the previous stitch tight. So soon as the needle hasdesccnded through the cloth by the side of the button-hole and begins to rise, forming the thread between its eye and the cloth into a loop, an instrument termed the loop-carrier, and represented at c', enters between the needle and its thread,spreads and carries it in the form of a loop across the slit in thel cloth -made for the button-hole, and there holds it until the needle rises and descends in the slit of the button-hole and through the said loop so previously formed and held. The loop-carrier c is formednear one end of a plate, d', and facing another instrument, e', formed 1n the same plate, andtermed the loop-opener,

but which operates on the reverse motion of the The reason for up end of a rod, f', the other end of which is formed with a slot, g', to embrace and slide on the vertical shaft It below the table, and provided with a roller, h', which works in a cam- .groove, i', in the face of a wheel, j', ou the shaft h.

' The cam-groove t" .is represented in Fig. 7 of the accompanying drawings, and is of such a form as to slide the plate back and forth at the periods required; butfor the purpose of spreading the loop of the needle-thread that the needle may enter at the next descent, a slot Aor mortise, 7a', is formed in the plate df; which slot is straight for some distance, and then diagonal, and fitted t`o slide on a guide-pin which projects upward from a plate, d4, attached to the under surface of the table B, so .that the loop-carrier will have a movement the reverse of the form of the said slot. The cam t" is formed so as to move the loop-carrier by the needle to take the loop, then to hold it still as the needle rises, and then move it diagonally to the position vunder the slit of the button-hole where the vneedle is next to descend, thereby opening the'loop and placing it so that the needle shall enter it and carry its thread through it at the next operation; burlduring' the period of rest of the loop-carrier j Vist described an: other operation is performed. 1f the motions of the loop-carrier to take the loop from the needle and spread it so as to permit the needle to enter it at its next descent were completed, the loop would be stretched obliquel'y from the under face of the table on which the cloth rests, and as the thread is double and the two parts close to each other at the under side of the table, the point of the needle would be liable to miss the loop or puncture the thread, and thus spoil a stitch. To prevent this that part of the loop which is close to the under side of the table is held back before the loop-carrier makes its second movementto completely open the loop. This operation is performed by a linger, m', formed on the edge of a plaie, n', (more clearly represented in Fig. 8.) This plate is secured -to the under face of the table B by a screw, o', on which it turns as a fulcrum, and. this plate is turned on its fulcrum sufficiently to bring the finger m on the left-hand side of the loop, and then the loop-carrier completes its operation, and thereby stretches the loop under the said finger m', to insure a suiicient opening of the loop for the entrance of the needle.- The mechanism for operating this finger will be described hereinafter. As the needle `descends through the loop, formed and held as above described, the loop-carrier is drawn back to liberate the loop which it held, that the continued descent of the needle may draw it tight around itself, which it must do, as the thread cannot be supplied from the spool, as it is held back by the griper x and the rest a, before described; and so soon as the needle begins to rise from its second descent the loopopener e', which is on the same plate With and opposite to the loop-carrier c,is moved toward the needle by the back movement ofthe plate d', and enters between the needle and its thread below the previously formed loop and opens a second loop. While this second loop is kept open the needle rises and moves back laterally to its original position, and at the same time an interlacing-needle, p', enters this second loop of the needle-thread and carries with it an interlacing-thread. This needle p is an eye-pointed needle which carries a thread from a spool, r', which passes through a guide, s', and thence through the eye ofthe said needle.v rllhis needle is on the end of a bar, t', the rear end of which is slotted to embrace and slide on the vertical shaft h, and it is provided with a roller or pin, u', iitted to work in a camgroove, o', in the face of a carnavheel, w', on the shaft h. This cam-groove is represented at Fig. 9. The bar t', a little back of the needle p, is connected with the under side of the 'table B by a short joint-link, fr', which gives to the point of the needle, as it is moved back and forth by the cam-groove of, a curvilinear motion around the need'lel to carry itsv thread into the second loop ofthe mainthread while it is held open by the loopopener e', before deser,bed;.and while the needle p is in this position it remains at rest suiciently long to enable a hook, y', to take the loop of its thread, and so soon as this has taken place the needle p returns to its original positioi.i,'leaving its loop in the second loop of the main needlethread and under the control of the hook y. The needle Z then rises and the hook y moves back to openthe loop ot' the interlacingthread, that the needle l, in its third descent, may pass through it, by which operation it tightens thc second loop of its o\vn thread around the tirst loop of the interlacing-thread. The series of operations before described are then repeated, the loopcarrier again taking the thread of the needle l to form a loop, as in the first operation described, but below the loop of theinterlacing-thread, which was not the case at the first operation.

The motions ofthe hook above described are given in the following manner: lt is se.- cured on the end of a bar, z', the opposite end of which is slotted to embrace and slide on the vertical shaft h, and it is provided with a roller or pin, n.2, fitted to ru n in a caingroove, b2, in the face of Va canrwheel, a2, on the sha-ft h. rlhis cani-groove is represented at Fig. lt), and a curvilinear motion is given to the hook y in the same manner as to the interlacing needle p by a jointflink, d2, thecurve being reversed as the link is reversed. AC spring, e?,

is interposed between the two bars t and z', to make the motions of the interlacing-needle and hook steady without thenecessityot' mak-l ing thejoints too close and binding.

0n the upper side of' the bar z ofthe hook y there is a cross-slot, f2, (see Fig. 2%) which -so prepared is properly placed in aclamp, D

receives a pln, g2, on the lower face of the plate n of the linger m', before described, and as this bar z moves back and forth to operate the hook y it imparts the required vibratory motion to the finger ma.

The cloth or other material in which a button-hole is to be worked is first prepared by cutting with a suitable tool of the usual construction a slit through it of the required length for the intended button-hole, and with an eyelet at the end where the rounded part ot' the button-hole is to be formed. The cloth and between a top and bottoin clamping-plate: h2 and 2. These clamping-surfaces are roughcned in any suitable manner to prevent thccloth from slipping between them. The two clamping-plates are formed each with a slot, jz, of the general form ot' a button-hole, but larger. The bottom clamping-plate is secured to the upper surface of the base-plate D, and this base-plate has a mortise through it of the form represented at k2, Fig. l1, which represents a bottom View of the said plate. Both ends of this lnortise are circular, as at l2 and m?, the end Z2 being the largest, and large enough to pass freely over the tlat head of a button, n2, that projects upward from the surface of the table B, and the straight sides of this mortise are at a less distance apart than the diameter of the head of the button, and just so as to work freely on the shank of the said button, which acts as a guide when the clamp is required to move in a straight line, the upper surface of the plate being rabbeted for the head of the button, so that the clamp is held down to the face of the table B by the head of the button, except when the enlarged end Z2 of the lmortisel reaches it. The other rounded end, m2, of the mortise is smaller than the button; butits diameter is as much greater than the shank ot' the button and the space between the straight part of the mortise as is equal to the diameter of the eyelet ot' the iutended button-hole; and on the table there is a spring, o2, which hears against the edge of the base-plate or the clamp to press one `side otl the Inortise k2 against the shank of the button n2, s'o that 'when the rounded end m2 of the Inortise reaches the button n2 and begins to turn, the spring moves the clamp laterally, keeping the edge ot' the rounded and enlargeel' part ot' the mortise m2 against the shank of the' button, thereby making the line of seam in the form of an eyelet while the clamp is turning;

From the foregoing it will be seen thatby making the straight part of the mortise 2c* Wider than the diameter ot' the sha-nk of the 'button any desired width ot' opening can be given to. the slit or straight part of. a buttonhole, and that by varying the size ot the rounded end m2 of the mort-isc any desired size of eyelet can' be given.

The upper jaw, h2, ot' the clamp 1s mortised at o4 to tit over a part of the base, and 1t vis of the cloth in that part of its operations in.

which it forms the edging. To effect this stretching ot the slit two springs, s2 s?, are secured on each side of the upper jaw, 11,2, andtwo corresponding ones, t2 t2, on the lower jaw. These four springs are curved transversely, and their edges gripe the cloth before the clamp* faces do, so that as `the clamps approach each other the springs will be attened, and by reason ot' having previously griped the cloth they will stretch it as they are flattened, and there by open the slit, so that the needle will work in it without piercing the edges of the'cloth.

Near the rear end of the clamp D ythere is a round pin, n2, which projects below its lower surface, and which lits in a slot, b2, in the table B. It is by acting on this pin that the required motions are imparted to the clamp for spacing lhestitches and forgiving the required torni to the button-hole; and as the head of the l button a2 holds the clamp down to the surface slide in a standard, wz, ot' the clamp, and is' held down by the tension of a helical spring, (not necessary to be shown in the drawings,) so that it can be lifted out of the slot-112 ot' the table, and thenthe clamp can be removedl by drawing it back until the enlarged end Z2 of the slot k2 reaches the button n2.

The slot c2 in the table B is of the form represented at Fig. 12, with two straight parts connected by about a half-circle. When the pin u is in either of the straight parts ot' this slot the cainp D can' only move in a straight line; but when it reaches the semicircular part ofthe said slot, then the clamp can turn until the pin uz reaches the other straight part. The .button n2 is not concentric with the circular part ofthe slot o2, but as much eccentric, and toward the middle of the circular part ot' the slot as is equal to the. diameter of the cyelct ofthe intended button-hole, so that the outer edge of the circular part ot' the slot v2, bearing against the pin u2, will, together with the spring o2, keep the edge ot' the rounded part m2 ot' the niortise k2 against the' stein ofthe button.

For Working button-holes without an eyelet the slot c2 can be concentric with the button;

` but, if desired, the said slot can be made con.

centric forall kinds of button-holes it the circular part of the slot c2 be made gradually as much wider from each end to the middle as the diameter of an eyelet, in which' case the spring o2 alone will control the clamp and keep the edge of the niortise k2 against the stein of the button in turning.

That part of the table marked B', which has the button all, and in which the slot a2 is made, is a thin plate separate frni and secured to the upper surface of the table B, and the but ton a2 is the surface on which the stitching is performed, and hence it must be pierced with the requisite holes for the passage of the needle and thread, and the main table B is cnt out below the central portion ot' the plate B', that the stitching mechanism below may op! crate in close proximity t the under surface ofthe plate B.

Aiiat ring, 1.04, (represented in Fig. 2%) is iitted vto turn in` a recess in theupper surface ofthe table B and just under the plate B. The outer periphery ot this ring, which may be termed thelrifeeding-ring, is formed with ratchet- A teeth, by which it is turned, as hereinafter described, two (more or less) spring-catches, a?, being employed to prevent it from turning except in the direction ot' the arrow. In the face of this ring there'is a groove, y2, in the formr of a heart, and the cylindrical pin u2 ot' the clamp D extends through the slot c2 of the plate B' into this groove. The ring and clamp being in therelative positions represented in the drawings, (see Fig. 2,) with the piu a2 in the groove y2, and near the point of the heart, it' the ring be turned in the direction ot" the arrow, the groove y2 will act on vthe pin u2 and cause it and the clamp with it to travel along the straight part ot' the slot 'v2 froin l to 2, and when that part of the heart-shaped groove y2 which is nearest the center reaches the pin a2 it (the pin) will have reached the beginning ot" the sexnicircula-r part of the slot o2. At this time the pin u2 comes in contact with a stop, z2, which stands partly across the groove y2, and by which itis stopped, so that by the continued rotation 0f the ring the pin u2 will be caused'to travel along the scmicircular part oi the s'lot c2 until it reaches the other straight part at 3, having thereby turned the clamp l) halfa revolution.

The result ot the motions ot' the clamp above described is that the part ot the cloth in which l the intended button-hole is to be worked has traveled under the needle Z from the pointed end ot the button-hole in a straight line to the eyelet, then around the eyelet, and back in a straight line to the pointed'end, so that if the needle andotlier parts had been in operation the entire button-hole would have been worked, although the clamp was turned only half-way around.v

'lhe stop z2 is ou a plate iitted to slide radially in a recess in the under face of the feeding-ring, and it is 'held in its position partly across the groove 1l by thc edge of its plate bearing against the outer edge of a rim, b3, of the table Bf, within the feeding-ring but this rim b3 is cnt out at that part of its circumference which corresponds with the position ofthe lstop e2 at the time the clamp approaches the end'of its turningv motion, so that the pin u2, acting on the beveled or rounded side of the stop z2, will force it'out of the groove g2, that it (the pin u2) may enter the other part of the groove y, by which it will be caused to travel along the other straight part-'of the slot e, from 3 to 4. The recess in the periphery of the rim b3 (represented by dotted lines in Fig. 2)

is beveled on the opposite side, so as to push back the stop z2 to its original position after the pin u2 has passedit. As the circular part of the slot v2 is eccentric to the button n2 and to the feeding-ring for the purpose of pushing the clamp laterally Vin'A working the eyelet of' the button-hole, the vpin a2 of the clamp will have a slight motion towardv and from the center of the feeding-ring w'hile the clamp is being turned, and to make allowance for this a recess or enlargement, a3, lis formed in that part of' the groove y2 which is nearest the center of the feeding-ring.

Thefeeding-ring is turned to give the feeding motion to the clamp D for spacing the stitches by a spring-pawl or ratchet-hand, c3, (see Fig. 3,) which acts on the ratchet-teeth of the said ring. -The pawl 'c3 works in a mortise in the table B, and is connectedwith a lever, d3, below the table B. It vibrates on a fulcrum-pin at e3, and is provided with a face, f3, (see Fig.

3,) that bears against the periphery of a cam, g3, ou the shaft h. The form of this cam is represented at Fig`s. 3 and 9, and as this cam is on the shaft h, which makes but one revolution to two of the needle-shaft, there will be but one feed motion to every two stitching motions of the needle l-one through the cloth and one in the slit of the button-hole. It may, however, be made to feed at each operation of the needle. A spring, h3, bears the lever against the cam. A set-screw, i, gages the range of back motion of the lever, so that by the turning of this screw the feeding motion can be readily adjusted to any desired spacing of the stitches. The said feed-lever d3 extends to the outside of the frame, where it has the form of a handle, ja, for the convenience of operating the feed by hand, whenever desired.

Thefeeding mechanism, so far as described, is for (fperating the feed motion along the straight parts ot' a button-hole; buty While the clamp is being turned to form the eyelet of the button-hole the range of motion of the pawl c3 is required to be considerably greater, and for this purpose an additional mechanism is brought into action at the time the pin u2 of the clamp reaches the curved part of the slot c2, and thrown out of action when the said pin passes from the curved into the other straight part of the slot e2.

A. lever, 7c3, is mounted on a fulcrum-pin, l?, under the table ]3,so as to vibrate in a vertical plane. Une end of the. said lever carries a pin, m3, which works in a hole in the table B, and-capable of being forced up by a spring, a3, above the upper surface of the said table and into a concentric groove, o3, in the under face of the feeding-rin g m4. The form and extent ot` this groove are represented at Fig. 13. While the pin m3 is in the groove c3 the feeding' motion above described is in action; but when, by the rotation of the feeding-ring, the pin u2 of the clamp reaches the curved part ol' the slot e2 of the plate B', the end of the groove o3 (the face of which is beveled for the purpose reaches the pin m?, forces it down, and thereby depresses that arm of its lever 7c3. To the other arm of the said lever 7a3 is connected an extra ar1n,p3, by ahinged joint, g3, which will permit a playin ahorizontal, but not in a vertical, plane. This extra arm p3 carries a pin,

r3, which passes through a hole inithat arm ot' the feed-lever d3 (before described) which is acted upon by the'cam g3, andv `when the pin m3 is. depressed by the feeding-ring the pin r3 of the extra arm ofthe lever 7c3 is projected above the top ofthe feed-lever and within the range ot' motion of a double cam, s3 83,011 the shaft h,tl1e peripheries of which (represen ted at Figs and 9) will alternately act on the said pin to operate the feed-lever, thereby suspending the action ot' the cam g3. In this way two feeding motions are given to each revolution of the shaft h, and any desired range of feed motion may be given to turn the clamp; but so soon as the pin u2 of the clamp reaches the other straight part of the slot v2 in the plate B the commencement of the groove o3 of the feedringreaches the pin m3, permits it to rise, and the piu rf is withdrawn from the range ofthe cams s3, which permits the feeding motion to be resumed by the cam g3 for the other straight part otl the button-hole.

To avoid any possible conflict of the parts in making the change, the extra arm p3, which carries the pin r3, is made ot' a vspring which will readily yield if the pin r3, in rising, should come against the face of either ofthe cams s3 s3; but so soon as the cam shall have passed the pin will then be'forcedup to the'required position to be acted upon by the periphery of the cams at the next operation. As it is irnportant, however, that the pin r? should be drawn down out of action at the required time, and it is attached toa spring, such springmight yield to any binding of the pin. To prevent this the spring-arm p3 is prevented from yielding in the opposite direction by a brace, t3.

Button-holes of various lengths are required to be made, and that is determined by feeding .the clamp forward by the handle j3 ofthe feedlever by hand, so as to bring the desired part ot' the cloth under the needle before commencin g the stitching operation; but as it is desirable to finish the other side of the button-hole just at the same distance from the eyelet that the rst side was commenced, and to stop the feeding' automatically toinsur'e accuracy, there is a spring stop-lever, a3, one arm o f which projects above the table B', so as to be pushed outward against the tension of its spring by the clamp as it reaches the end of its motion. Thelower arm of this lever,'w`nen thus vibrat-ed, strikes against the feedl'ever d, and thereby stops the feed motion until the clamp is withdrawn.' The part Aof the clamp which thus strikes the stop-lever ua is the outer end of the plate 2,before described, which holds down and forms thefulcrum of the upper jaw of the clamp; and as it is adjustable by the fastening-screw and slot, its tailend can be adjusted to any desired length of button-hole. `On the opposite 'side of the table to the stop-lever a3 there is a fixed gage,'/v3, to determine the point of startiu g.

After the cloth has been fastened in the clamp` and the clamp' pnt over the button' n2, it is drawn back until the tail end of the plate p2 strikes the gage 113. The feed-lever is then operated by hand to turn the feed-rin g @v4 until the required part of its groove reaches the pin u2 of the clamp, when it is forced into thesaid groove by the tension of its spring. The machine is then ready for operation.

Instead of the two sets of lsprings on the clamp for spreading the cloth and opening the slit of the buttonfhole, it will be obvious that the same result in kind can be accomplished by using one set only, with a smooth resistingsurface on the opposite side for the cloth to l slide on.

acting cam, which makes the duration of the griping operation different when the needle descends through the cloth than when it descends in the slit or by the edge of the buttongoe, substantiallyas and for the purpose speci- 2. Holding the clamp down to the face of the table byv a button, or the equivalent thereof, which at thesame time actsas a guide for the motions of the clamp, substantially as described. I

3. Making the curved part of the slot in the table in which the pin of the clamp Works eccentric to the button which acts as a Iguide to the motions of the clamp, substantially as described, to admit of the required lateral motion to work the eyeletsin button-holes, as described.

4. Making the pin of the clamp by which the required motions are communicated to the clamp so that it can slide up and down therein, in combination with the button that holds the clamp down tothe table, substantially as described, so that the clamp can be removed from the table by drawing the piu up out of the groove in the feeding-ring andout of the slot in the table, as described. l

5. The springs for spreadingthe cloth, in combination with the clamp, substantially as described.

6. In combination with the feeding mechanism and the clamp', the stop-lever for stopping the feed motion when the button-hole is iinished, as described.

D. W. G. HUMPHREY.

Witnesses.:

WM. H. BISHOP, ANDREW DE LACY. 

